Children Will Be Children
by Contrary-Miss-Mary
Summary: Jack gets a hair cut, Red has a nightmare, and both have more than their fair share of teen angst. Well, not exactly angst... Jack/Red fluff and some minor Bakerella.
1. Haircut

**Hey! **

**You know what I hate? Jack's bowl cut in the second act. Ben Wright actually has a really attractive face too, so I spent the whole second act waiting for him to put his hat back on, Which he never did. This story comes from my hope that Red would hate his new hair too. **

"Jack, I've decided something."

"What is it now?" Jack sighed. She had that look on her face. When she flashed that determined grin... He _knew_ he was in trouble.

"I am going to give you a hair cut," Red smiled, not even acknowledging his apparent dread.

Jack groaned. " Why on earth do you want to do that? I personally like my hair. And even if I did want it cut, I sure wouldn't want _you_ to cut it. You'd kill me for sure!" He mumbled nervously as she shot him a glare.

" First off, bowl cuts are ugly. Second off, it's not like I'm a demon barber, or something else weird. Finally, you shouldn't talk to your mother that way! Now sit in the chair or I'll slit your throat!" Red growled, rushing off to find some scissors.

Jack sighed. That's what he got for spending time alone with her. The Baker was at the store, selling his usual pastries, Cinderella was out to get some groceries, and the baby was sound asleep upstairs. He should have known any extended period of time with Red would end with her playing with sharp objects. Unfortunately, there were no adults around to keep her from killing him, so Jack would have to try and stay on her good side. Or at least the less violent side.

"Haircut time!" Red sang from across the cottage. She skipped in, whistling a cheery tune and twirling a large pair of scissors around her index finger. Seeing that Jack was still standing up, she pushed him into a dining room chair.

" Do you really want to cut my hair? I mean, you're just a kid! You have no idea if you'll be good at this!" Jack protested as she came toward him, knowing his attempts were most likely futile.

" Oh, just calm down already! I'm fourteen. I can do no wrong. Plus, kids used to cut one another's hair all the time at my old school. It's part of being a kid, " Red said lightly. He hoped his mouth to interject, but she shushed him, saying only," Yes, a seventeen year old could technically count as a man, but I firmly doubt that YOU will ever be considered anything but a child until you're at least twenty-five. Now hold still and close your eyes."

Jack knew that she would FORCE his eyes closed if she had to, so he obeyed.

Her heard slicing sounds from all around his head, but they seemed uneven, which was hardly a surprise.

Red tapped his shoulder, signaling it was time to open his eyes. Jack was shocked by what he saw. His hair was as wild as when he had first gone out to achieve his wishes.

" Hey Red, why did you do my hair like this? I didn't think anyone liked it like this." he asked her quietly.

Red was taken aback. She obviously hadn't known she would be questioned about her inspiration for his haircut. She shrugged.

" The nerdy rich kid look just didn't fit you. The poor farm boy look did. Plus, I think you look better with shorter bangs. That's when you really get to see your eyes. And Jack? Your eyes are really nice..." Her words faded away as she got drawn into his deep chocolate brown gaze.

Jack could feel his face inching closer to hers, and he saw her long, black eyelashes flutter closed. His chapped lips softly grazed her plump, pink ones when...

"I'm home!" Cinderella called from the doorway. Red's eyes snapped open and she abruptly pushed Jack off the chair before starting to walk away.

" Wait up! What was that? Why did you stop?" he cried after her , trying to keep up. She ignored him and stamped right up to Cinderella.

" Hello, Red. Did you and Jack behave while I was- oh my!"Her sweet smile fell away when she saw Jack. " What happened?" she gasped, motioning to his hair.

Jack opened his mouth but Red beat him to the answer. " I was trying to be kind and give him a hair cut... But he was an idiot and ruined our Mother-Son bonding time!" she burst out, her face turning a deeper shade of scarlet than her flouncy skirt.

She stormed off to her room as Jack tried to find a smart way to respond. " Maybe I started it, but you didn't try to make me stop! Why ignore the chemistry?" he gave up on being creative and just yelled after her.

Cindy shrugged with a smile, playing with the gold engagement ring on her left hand. Lord knows how long it took her to convince the Baker not to ' ignore the chemistry'. She stifled a laugh as she watched the lad fidget outside of Red's door, only stopping to beg for forgiveness. However, her laughter bubbled over when the girl slammed open the door and gave Jack a "firm talking to". Ah well, children will be children.

**A/N: So I added a bit of Bakerella at the end. What can I say? They're cute together! Well, I hope you liked reading this as much as I liked writing It. Reviews please, including constructive criticism. Thanks!**

**Into the woods! Into the woods! Into the woods and out of the woooooooods... and happy ever after!**

*** I wish***


	2. Nightmares

A/N: Okay, so I decided to make this a Multi-chapter story, so if I get enough reviews and faves, I'll update my story. Have any prompts or suggestions? Feel free to drop a comment! Otherwise, enjoy!~

* * *

At 1 o'clock in the morning, a small girl, clad in a creamy white night gown, entered the bedroom of a poor farm boy.

" Jack!" she whispered . "Wake up!" She shook his shoulder roughly, to no avail. She leaned in until her face was mere inches from his. She was about to pinch his cheek when his eyes slowly opened. He sprang back in his bed.

" What are you doing in my room?" Jack yelped, only to have a soft white palm clamped over his mouth.

" Don't talk to loud. You wake the adults!" she snapped in a low voice.

She lowered her hand and he sighed.

" Seriously, why are you here?You should be asleep like everyone else is. Or in my case, was." She slid off his bed and looked at her feet.

"Fine, you want the truth? I had a nightmare. I wanted to wake one of the adults, but Miss Cinderella is too pretty to bother, and I like the Baker, so I didn't want to be obnoxious. I don't really care if you find me annoying, so here I am." She shrugged indifferently.

" Well its great to see you so concerned about others," he yawned, still grouchy from his sudden awakening.

" I dreamed that I was in the woods," she began, ignoring his sarcasm. " I was walking to Granny's house... Except when I got there, the house was gone. Granny was gone too. All that was left was a big footprint. I took off my red cloak and started crying. Then there was a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, and you were there, smiling like an idiot. The baker was there too, and his wife, and the baby, and miss Cinderella. Even the witch was there. You helped me up, and we all walked away. Then I heard a scream. Mrs. Baker was gone. I was confused but you all told me to keep walking. So I did. Then the witch was gone. Than Miss Cinderella was gone. Than the baker was gone, and so was the baby. You told me it was all right, that I would be safe as long as I held your hand. So I kept holding on, even though my nose itched. I finally saw the village in the distance, so I clapped my hands. Then, I reached back for your hand. But it was gone. You were gone. And I was all alone, in the woods." she let out a sniffle, and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

Jack cleared his throat. "Listen, Red, Every one has bad dreams. Even me, the mighty giant killer."

She let out a teary laugh. " So, what do you fear, oh brave One?"

His smile faded away. He looked down, and Red immediately regretted asking. " I fear losing a mother. That the only thing I have nightmares about. I watch my mother get pounded by the steward. I relive the day when I watched Miss Joanna die under the tree, knowing that even though I didn't really know her, the fact that Mr. Baker would lose her and their son would never know his mother. " He took a deep breath then looked up into her wet, innocent eyes.

" Sometimes, I see the Witch push you into the lady giant's arms, and I watch the hands that held me so tenderly crush your bones without a second thought. I gape in horror as she drops your limp body into my arms, and I scream as the others just walk away. That's the worst part. Holding you as though I could protect you, even though I failed. That's the way the giant truly hurts me. By hurting those I care about."

He whispered the last section quietly, and Red understood why. So she did what any mother would do. She pulled him into a tight hug.

" Now that we've poured out our hearts, can you go back to bed?" he groaned after they seperated. " I think I'm going to faint from exhaustion."

" Can I stay here?" she implored, her motherly aura gone, leaving only a lazy fourteen year old in it's place. "My room is all the way across the house."

" My house is small. You'll survive."

" Please? Your bed is so squishy and warm." She mumbled, wrapping herself in his blanket.

" No! It would be weird if you stayed here!" His arguing fell on deaf ears. The curly haired girl was already fast asleep. He rolled his eyes and laced his fingers into hers, and burying his face into her soft golden curls with a smile."Night, Red. Please don't sneak into my room any more."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. I edited the crap out of this story. It was originally even more romance oriented and sappy. Now it can be taken as a friendship if wanted. Also, in my first version, I named Red Rosalind. 0-0

Well, doesn't matter now. Read and review!

Into the woods! Into the woods! Into the woods and out of the woods... And happy ever after!

* I wish!*


	3. Beds and Babies

A/N: Hi there! I would just like to say that this chapter was inspired by a guest suggestion. Thank you Mr/Miss Anon! If you're reading this, I hope you like it! Anyway, this chapter continues the previous chapter an hour later, but from Cinderella's perspective.

Warning: this is slightly suggestive, as there is mention of baby making.

Enjoy!~

* * *

Cinderella woke up from her beauty sleep at 2:00 in the morning. With a dainty yawn, she slowly got out of her warm bed in search of something to drink. She quietly stepped down the stairs, being careful not to make any loud noises. Cinderella was nearing the kitchen when she heard an oddly familiar sound. She turned slightly and realized that the noise was coming from Jack's room. As she pressed her ear to the door, she racked her mind to try to remember where she had heard the sound. She suddenly gasped as she realized what the queer noise was.

It was the sound of Red's snores.

She cautiously peered through the door, and was horrified to see that her awful suspicion had proved to be true. There was not one person in the bed, but two.

Cinderella abandoned her quest to the kitchen, and franticly hustled back to her room. She climbed into bed and tried to forget what she had seen, but her attempts were futile. Thoughts raced across her mind at lightning speed.

Why was Red in Jack's room? If they were doing what Cinderella thought they had been, were they aware of the consequences? Also, How old were they? Should people their age be doing those kinds of things? Cinderella didn't even want to think about the scene she had happened upon. She resolved to ask the children about it in the morning, if she could even bring herself to form the question.

* * *

The next day, Cinderella got up early, made a giant breakfast, and even swept the kitchen. She had a habit of using household chores to relive stress. However, anxiety was refusing to leave her.

After nearly an hour of unbearable waiting, Cinderella saw the teens come in. Red's hair was a bit tousled, but both were fully clothed in their nightwear, which seemed to be a good sign. Still, she couldn't help but grimace when she saw Jack unconsciously pull up the drooping sleeve on Red's nightgown.

Cinderella briskly walked to the table as Jack and Red sleepily slid into their seats.

Cinderella cleared her throat and began to speak. "How did the two of you sleep last night?" she asked with a stiff smile.

" Eh, I slept okay. At least I didn't get cold," Red answered with a shrug.

"And you Jack?" the princess continued uneasily.

Jack looked up from the toast he had dreamily been buttering, and shot Red a sideways glance. "Probably would have slept better if you hadn't kept me up all night."

Red flashed him fierce grin, oblivious to the fact that Cinderella was staring at them with her mouth open in a very unladylike way.

The two teens went back wolfing down their food without further conversation. Red had just reached for the strawberry jam when Cinderella broke the silence by exclaiming, " Don't you to know the grave consequences of your rash decisions!"

Both Jack and Red's heads snapped up at this sudden outburst. Cinderella continued to ramble on feverishly. "Multiple unpleasant things can result from your irrational behavior. For example, babies! You two should know better, and think before you-".

"Miss Ella?" Red interrupted cautiously. "What are you talking about?"

Cinderella impatiently tapped her foot on the wooden floor. "I'm talking about last night of course! And I certainly don't approve of you having children so young."

A dazed expression of realization suddenly passed over Jack's face. He softly pressed his hand on Red's stomach, before gazing at her with a misty look.

" You're having a baby? It's my fault, isn't it?Is it really because of last night? What's his name? He should be named after me."

Cinderella was about to faint, when she noticed a very irritated Red swat his hand away. "Don't be weird. I can't have a baby just because I went to talk to you in the middle of the night and accidentally fell asleep on your bed. Plus, everyone knows that babies come from flowers, not stomachs. It's just a fact of life."

Jack pondered this for a moment, before asking another question. "Then why was Miss Joanna's kid in her stomach?"

Red sighed like it was the easiest thing in the world. "Her child was a spell baby. That's totally different. I'm surprised you didn't know that, what with you being older than me. I suppose your mother didn't teach you anything."

Cinderella laughed in relief as a very knowledgable Red taught her "son" the ways of life. No more jumping to conclusions for her.

* * *

I hope you liked it! Also if you were wondering, the baker was in his room sleeping during this whole this. The reason he wasn't in Cindy's room is because this takes place before they get together. Anyway, remember to fave and review, because I love kindness and critiques. Also, if you have suggestions of future chapters, please make sure to leave a comment! I'll make sure to have the next chapter up soon, so please tune in!

Into the woods! Into the woods! Into the woods and out of the woods...

And happy ever after!

* I wish *


	4. Hat Domination

**Okay, so I decided tup update this story with a little less romance and a bit more friendship, because these kids honestly have one of the most amazing not-entirely-romantic relationships ever. Expect the next chapter to be slightly similar. Anyway, please read, review,and enjoy!~**

He takes her hat, and she proves she's the dominant one in their friendship

Relationships were always a tricky matter for Jack. His dad left when he was a babe, his mother treated him like a child when he was well into manhood, and his best friend had been a cow for most of his life.

Yes, he was used to being the weak link in all relationships, from friendship to family, but Red had gone too far this time.

She took his hat.

Oh, it had started off innocent enough. She said her ears were cold, and Jack, a born pushover, had agreed to let her borrow his hat. What harm could be done if she just wore it for a bit? A world of harm, Jack soon learned.

What had started off as a mild appreciation had become a full fledged addiction. The knit snow hat nearly never left her head. The adults thought it was just a cute phase, but he knew what it really was. Although he had never been the brightest tool in the box (or something like that), he knew an evil smirk when he saw one.

Red was trying to prove that she was the one in charge.

That had been her goal all along. To show that he was her sidekick. And it was a nice try, too. To bad that she didn't know he had a trick of his own up his sleeve.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when he put his plan into action. He had planned it all out: go to the woods, use his height against her, and prove once and for all that _she _was the side kick.

He finally managed to get her to go with him, although she looked a tad suspicious through the whole trip. They had just arrived at their favorite tree when he suddenly stopped. She ran into his back with and shot him an irritated glare when he whipped around.

"What's the big idea, you-" Red's chiding was interrupted as Jack quickly snatched his hat of her head.

He held it up high above her, smiling triumphantly as she tried to reach it. After about a minute a failed attempts, Red suddenly grew very still. As she sadly looked down at her feet, Jack felt his proud smile weaken ever so slightly. He heard a small sniffle and stared in amazement as she started to bawl.

He had done it. He had proved he was better. He was the winner of this battle. So why did he feel so awful?

"Red?" He said her name cautiously and she tilted her head up just enough for him to see her dewy blue eyes, her quivering button nose, and her flushed, tear-stained cheeks.

The arm still holding his hat drooped slightly, and he looked guiltily into her sad little face. Suddenly her eyes snapped up to his, and in one fluid movement, she leaned in close...

And punched him in the gut. He released his hold on the hat as he tumbled to the ground, and she swiftly caught it. She pulled it onto her head by the ear flaps, her face instantly brightening. Jack lay curled in a little ball before her feet, arms firmly wrapped around his injured abdomen.

She cackled gleefully as she skipped around him, rapidly bagging about how she had managed to think of defense plan so quickly. Yep. She was defiantly the dominant one.

**So, that was fun. Man, I sure do love these characters! Anyway, I have a raging fever, so you can expect another chapter to be up soon!**

**Into the woods! Into the woods!**

**Into the woods and out of the woooooooods and happy ever after!**

*** I wish ***


	5. I Know It's Today

**Hi everyone! It's so nice to see you again! Guess what? I recently auditioned for Into The Woods! I actually ended up getting a call back, and being the runner up for Little Red, which is fantastic considering I go to an arts academy and I'm only a freshman**! **So, this story is inspired by my audition song, I Know It's Today. My voice teach told me that I should turn my song into a storthag at fit the context. It turned out pretty good, so I wrote it for y' ~**

**If I owned this show, I would have casted all of you readers in it! But, I don't, so oh well :/**

* * *

"JAAAAAAAAAACK!" Red's yell rang out through the woods. She clutched the story book tighter to her chest as she ran to find her older companion. She was ready to collapse, but after running all the way from the house, she had no intention of giving up.

She finally found him, cutting up some wood for the fire. He was mid swing when he spotted her running toward him. He dropped the ax carefully, and mopped the sweat from his brow.

"Jack! Jack! Guess what?" she said, gripping the edge of his jacket in a tight fist. She looked as though she could hardly contain her excitement.

He smiled at her absentmindedly, a bit unsure of how to respond. Red quickly caught on to his confusion, and plopped into a cross-legged position on the grass. She patted the spot in front of her, motioning for him to join her. Once he was seated, she rapidly began to speak.

"Okay, so you know how Miss Cinderella said that I shouldn't study about baking with you and Mister Baker? And you said it was because girls my age can't have jobs like that? And I got really mad at you?" Red asked. Jack nodded, suddenly realizing why Red had been ignoring him all week.

"Well," she continued, "It turns out you were wrong! I found out the real reason last night. I was in Miss Cinderella's room, looking around-"

"Wait a minute. What were you doing looking around in her room?" Jack interrupted.

"I don't know. Nothing much," Red shrugged mischievously. "Anyway, I was in her room, when I found...This!" She dramatically pulled out the story book, which she had been hiding behind her back, and put it in between them.

Jack stared at the old volume with an amazed look on his face.

"Is that... the narrator's book?" he said in a hushed tone.

Red beamed and nodded. She watched Jack run his fingers across the golden cover letters, worn to the point that they were illegible, before softly brushing his hand away and bringing the book closer.

"I don't know how she got it, but I decided to read it. Anyway, I found a section that says that all beautiful, smart, kind-hearted, and humble young girls," she made a small gesture to herself, "Are carried away by handsome princes by their twentieth birthday. So that's why Miss Cinderella doesn't want me to become a Baker. Becaus I'm destined to become a princess!" She grinned triumphantly at Jack obviously expecting either envy or praise.

What she did not expect was for him to start laughing.

" What are you doing? I'm telling you something very serious," she scowled as he tried to suppress his sniggering.

"I'm sorry for laughing, but I don't think that's why she didn't want to you to be a baker. Also, do you really want to wait till you're twenty?What he doesn't even come?" he said once he'd calmed down.

Red bit her lip and stood up, placing her fists on her hips.

" I know he'll come. It's in the rules. He has to come!"

Red saw the corners of his mouth begin to twitch upward. Her anger suddenly exploded.

" You know, Someone told me there's a young prince in a nearby kingdom looking for a maiden to wed. He's about our age, and I heard that he must choose his bride by his 16th birthday. And you know what? It's actually not that far away. Only 195 days. So you better be nice to me, 'cause I'll be gone by the end of the year."

Jack rolled her eyes as she stormed off, but not before adding one last detail.

" We actually have a lot in common, you know," she said coolly, not bothering to turn and face him. " See, he's a hunter. He likes bears, but wolves are his favorite. And most importantly, he's known to have a thing for blondes."

With that, she continued walking without even a glance back. She didn't have to, because she knew what she'd see. A pale, worried, and wonderfully gullible Jack.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I desperately need suggestions or random prompts befor I run out of ideas, so please review! I'll love you forever if you do! I'll also dedicate a chapter to you! And in case you were wondering, the real reason Cinderella won't let Red study baking is beacuse she knows the little girl would eat everything. And that would be bad. Anyway, have an excellent day/afternoon/evening!**

**There are giants in the sky!**

**There are**

**BIG**

**TALL**

**TERRIBLE**

**AWESOME**

**SCARY**

**WONDERFUL**

**Giants... In the sky!~**


	6. What's in a name?

**Well**,** I felt like updating this poor, lonely story. It needed more love from it's author. Anyway, I guess this chapter was inspired by traditional Little Red names. It was an originally French story, so I made her last name the French surname for wolf. Anyway, enjoy!~**

* * *

"Hey, Red? Can I ask you a question?" Jack inquired, glancing sideways at the girl leaning agaisnst his shoulder. They were sitting on the living room carpet in front of the fire place. When she failed to answer, he tenderly nudged her with the pencil he had been doodling with.

Red's eyes snapped up from the knife she had been sharpening intently, and moved quickly to his questioning face.

"Hmm? Oh, Sure, ask whatever. Once you're done, though, leave me alone," she said indifferently, though with an air of irritation.

"What's your real name? I mean, your parents didn't really name you Little Red Riding Hood, did they? They had no way of knowing if you would even like the color Red," Jack asked cautiously.

Red raised a brow, refusing to break eye contact. She shifted her body away from him, and he instantly regretted the loss of her warmth on his skin.

" Why does it matter what my name is? What do you have against my nickname? Is Red too immature for your rich boy tastes?" She snarled, clenching the hilt of her dagger so tight that her knuckles were white.

Jack looked away from her piercing blue eyes, cheeks flushed from embarrassment. He hadn't meant to offend her, he was just curious. He went back to sketching furiously on his paper.

The room was silent for a while, with the only noises being the sound of Red's knife scraping against a slab of stone, Jack's pencil scratching feverishly onto the paper, and the crackle of the logs in the fire place.

" Maisie Blanchette Lovel," she finally said, staring into the golden embers.

Jack looked up at her with a small smile.

" My mother was French, you see, and she insisted that all three of my names would stay that way. Most of all, though, she wanted me to be named after my family. So I get Maisie from her, Blanchette from my Granny, and Lovel fromboth."

" But, what about your father?"Jack asked confusedly.

Red shook her head slightly. " No, he died before I was born. He was a huntsman, and he wasn't careful enough. He should have listen to his Granny and just stayed on the path."

" If he was anything like you, he probably wouldn't have listen anyway," Jack laughed.

Red punched him and continued. "When I was very young, my Granny gave me a beautiful red hooded cape so that I would be safe and warm. I really took to the cloak, and hardly went out without it. Most people grew tired of calling me Maisie Blanchette, and called my Red instead. And I'm very glad they did. I am not very fond of my name at all."

" Why? I think it's a beautiful name," Jack smiled bashfully.

"Well, I don't think so," she huffed. " It's just dreadfully long, and very boring to say. For example, would you run from someone named Maisie Blanchette?"

Jack shook his head.

" Exactly! And would you ever marry someone if you had to say 'Come here, Maisie Blanchette, my Darling!' every time you called them?" she continued.

Jack should his head once again, but had a goofy grin plastered across his face that spoke otherwise.

Red slumped back against Jack and started sharpening her knife once again.

"Anyway," she yawned. "Only Mother used to call me that, and I don't want anyone to call me by that name ever, ever again. I want her to keep it with her."

Red suddenly looked up at her companion with sharp eyes.

" Do you promise to never, ever call me anything but Red? And not to tell anyone? Because that will only ever be my name when she speaks it. And since mother is gone, it will never be my name again."

Jack let Red grab and shake his hand, sealing the deal. Then he went back to his drawing, secretly glad she hadn't asked his full name. His story could never be nearly as interesting as hers. But then again, nothing of Jack's could ever be as interesting as something of Red's. At least, he didn't think so.

That Maisie Blanchette Lovel was one facinating girl.

* * *

**So that's fun. And by the way, Red leaning on Jack is by no means a romantic gesture. She just doesn't feel like sitting up herself. And Jack's a bit smitten with her, so he honestly doesn't mind that much. Plus, she makes a good heater. **

**Also, apparently all the people currently living in Jack's house at the moment have some pretty bad Daddy problems. **

**Anyways, I'd just like to ask you to please like and review. This is totally optional, but I really need more suggestions, as I've only got a few plot bunnies left, scampering aroun the empty meadow that is my mind. **

**Have a lovely morning/afternoon/evening!**

_Mother said, " Don't be scared!"_

_Granny is right, just be prepared!_

_Isn't it nice to know alot?_

_And, a little bit NOT._

_\_ • - •_/ * shrug*_


	7. Goldilocks

Red was walking home from the market when she heard someone familiar calling her name. She turned around and came face to face with Goldilocks, a friend of hers from her weekly village visits. Red had bonded with the girl over their curly-hair tales of woe, mutual disgust of large animals, and love of food.

They chatted for a while as they sauntered through the woods, before Red once again saw someone she recognized.

"Jack! Come over here!" she shouhted to the boy, who quickly ran to join them.

"Good morning, Red. Good morning, Red's friend." he smiled, nodding politely.

"This is Goldilocks," Red announced, gesturing to her companion. "She lives in town. You have to be nice to her 'cause she's my friend."

Jack shrugged and shook the girl's hand before turning back to Red.

"Cinderella said that lunch will be ready soon. Are you coming?" he questioned hopefully.

"Of course I am! I never miss lunch! Tell her I'll be there soon, okay?"

Jack grinned at her in response before sprinting away. Red turned to look at Goldilocks, only to see that her friend wore a strange expression.

"Who was that?" Goldilocks said dreamily.

"Jack." Red simply answered.

" Is he courting you?"

Red felt her face heat up, and she glared at the girl. " Of course not! I can't believe you would even think that!"

"I can't believe you wouldn't think that! He's absolutely wonderful!" Goldilocks giddily giggled. Red stared at her, wondering how a minute long meeting could lead to an hour long of gushing. Goldilocks spoke incessantly about his handsome face and kind air all the way to Red's home, until the irritated girl couldn't keep her annoyance in any longer.

"Stop talking about him like that! Jack is dull and foolish and he doesn't even know you!" Red erupted, seething with frustration.

Goldilocks stared at her for a second, the surprise clear on her face, and Red saw her eyes flash behind her before looking away. Red turned around to see Jack, a smile fading from his face.

"I just came to see if the two of you were coming inside," he mumbled uncomfortably. He glanced over at Goldilocks, and told her,"Cinderella said could eat with us if you'd like."

" Thank you very much, Jack. I'd love to stay for lunch," She smiled as she walked toward him, leaving an exasperated Red behind her.

* * *

That afternoon, Red experienced the most miserable meal in all existence. She barely touched her food, eating even less than Goldilocks, whose picky eating was infamous. Jack refused to look at her even once through all of lunch, and the flirty looks Goldilocks sent him were absolutely ridiculous.

Red was suddenly painfully aware of how much nicer Goldilocks' long waves were when compared to her wild ringlets. Her picky habits must have come in handy as well, because her waist seemed awfully tiny. Red couldn't help but compare her friend's beautiful figure. Red would have given anything to be somewhere else in that moment.

After the unbearable hour finally began to draw to an end, Red excused herself and headed to her room.

She collapsed face first onto her bed, and began to drift off. Before she completely lost consciousness, she heard voices mumbling quick goodbyes before the soft slam of the front door.

Red was awaken two hours later when she felt something tickling her nose. She opened her eyes to see Jack sitting next to her, brushing her face with one of his fingers. She yawned loudly before balancing her pillow on his knee flopping her head back down.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked her, a dimpled smile on his face.

"Why do you care? " she garbled, her words muffled by the pillow.

He shrugged, and started playing with her hair. "I was just wondering. You shouldn't have left me with your friend after lunch. She asked me to go out with her for tea."

"You should have said no," Red mumbled.

"You shouldn't have left me alone with her for so long. She was awfully choosy. It took her twenty minutes to decide what she wanted, and once she got her drink, she said it was too cold. Then, they brought her another cup, which she said was far too hot. And she didn't even talk to me. She just blinked at me too much, and sat with her shoulders in a very uncomfortable looking way," he explained softly.

When Red ignored him, he slowly added," I don't know how you can be friends with her and consider me dull and foolish. It's awfully confusing to me."

" You heard?" Red deadpanned into his knee.

"Well, yes. You aren't very quiet with things like that."

Red sat up and sneered at him. " I meant every word I said, you know," she growled. " So don't expect me to apologize. Because I most certainly won't."

Jack smiled at her and stood up. "A year ago, I probably would have believed you. Anyway, your friend is downstairs if you want to talk to her. You know, in case you hurt her feelings." He gave her his hand to help her up, but she brushed it aside and pulled herself off the the bed.

"I was just on my way to do that." Red fibbed and ran out through the doorway.

Red leaped down the stairs, where she found Goldilocks, fiddling with the salt shakers on the table.

"Nice to see you again, Red," Goldilocks said nodding slightly at her.

Red looked straight into her eyes, until her friend focused on her. "I know it was rude of me to walk out on you, but why didn't you tell me you were taking Jack out to tea?You should have at least told me first. I mean, you only met him 5 hours ago!" she demanded, stomping her foot.

Goldilocks rolled her eyes and returned to playing with the table ornament. "I thought he was attractive, so I wanted to take him out. It was a dreadful time though. He's a bit vague, don't you think? And all he talked about the whole time was you. He was awfully concerned about why you left in such a rush," she laughed as Red flushed the color of her burgandy skirts.

"I-I'm sure he was just looking out for me. Any decent friend would," she stammered, nervously twirling a curl around her pinky.

"Hmmm. Of course they would," Goldilocks rolled her eyes, voice dripping in sarcasm. "Well, I just thought you should know I'm not bothering to pursue him any longer. Why choose someone who already fancies someone else? Especially when they ignore all of this," she gestured to herself with a smirk.

"Either stop talking nonsense or get out of my house," Red groaned, bringing a giggle out of Goldilocks.

"Ah, well. You may ignore the obvious if you wish. I suppose I'll see you in the town soon?" Goldilocks smiled, as she picked up her things.

Red nodded and let her friend out of the house. She skipped over to the pantry, pulled out the biggest loaf of bread she could, and started eating. With a head so full, why have a stomach so empty?

So yeah. My school's production of ITW is set to end next year, and I'll really miss it. I've got about three more chapters planned, and a formal farewell to my favorite show. Thanks to anyone who has stayed this far to read my story, however awful it might get. Reviews would be nice, but you don't have to leave one. I'll see ya tomorrow :)

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*Hard to see the light now,

Just don't let it go.

Things will be alright now,

We can make it so.

Someone is on your side.

No one is alone.*


	8. Dizzying, Exhilarating, Fun

Hiya there! Thanks for ending up this far! Please read and review! All comments and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

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She hung by her knees from the lowest branch of their tree as he sat daydreaming against the trunk. She swung herself, back and forth, back and forth, letting the blood rush up to her head. The tight, silky curls framing her face tumbled into her line of sight, but she didn't bother brushing them away. It was dizzying, it was exhilarating, it was pure fun.

She continued to rock giddily, and he slowly stood up. He walked over and looked at her upside-down face. He poked her cheek and she tried to grin maliciously. However, she ended up sending him a small and somewhat woozy smile.

He stared at her with a curiously intent gaze. The longer she looked at him the bigger and browner his eyes seemed to get. Although they were nice, his look made her slightly uncomfortable.

She was fixing to tell him to bug off when he cut her short by swiftly and softly pressing his lips against her.

It really wasn't much of a kiss. It was so surprising, and short, and odd, that she was unsure of what was happening, and couldn't think of what to do. She didn't even really kiss back. Not to say she didn't like it. Sure, his lips were a bit chapped, and his timing a bit random, but he was so warm and sweet that she didn't mind that much.

To be perfectly honest, her first kiss was actually kind of like hanging upside-down from the branch of a tree.

It was dizzying.

It was exhilarating.

It was pure fun.

He pulled back with a goofy grin she stared him with doe wide eyes...

And she fell out of the tree. And landed on top of him. And ended up breaking her leg and his arm.

Neither teen told the adults of the cause of the incident during the weeks it took for their injured limbs to heal, and the barely a word was spoken between the two for some time.

However, while neither would speak of the kiss for a while, the exchange of a raised eyebrow and a contented smile were enough to prove that neither would forget either.

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So, today was the first day of ITW shows. However, some asshole decided to put a curse the freaking Scottish Play curse on our theatre mere hours before the show. The results were... Upsetting. Anyway, I'll most likely post again tomorrow. I hope to see you then!

_And You've learned something too!_

_Something You never knew..._

_And I know things Now..._

_And I know things now that I never knew before..._

_In the land of the Giants!_

_In the belly of the Wolf!_

_On the steps of the Palace!_


	9. Lost in the Woods

**Hi there! It sure has been a while since I've seen all of you! This chapter is dedicated to the fantastic Miss Skypan and her sister, who came up with a prompt for this story. Enjoy!~**

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The rain pattered upon the oak leaves and sloshed to the ground, turning the already moist soil into a thick puddle of mud. The mist hung low across the woods, and the sky was so cloudy and bleak that it was impossible to tell whether or not the sun had set.

Red trudged through the woods soaked to the bone, longing desperately for an umbrella or a coat, or at least for her companion to lace his warm fingers through her freezing ones. She glared up at the taller boy, willing him to turn around.

She lifeted a small hand and gently tugged at his shirt.

"Jack," she said in a hushed voice.

He didn't look at her. Instead, he slowed to a stop in front of a large tree, and spoke softly to himself.

"I think we go right here. Or were we supposed to go right at the last tree?"

Red glared at his back in frustration, furious at the lack of attention he payed her. She repeated herself, this time more forcefully.

"Jack!"

Jack continued muttering to himself, either not hearing or just ignoring his friend.

"Definitely right. Right? Or is it..."

Red had had enough, and stopped him aggressively, stepping in front of him with arms akimbo.

"JACK!" She shouted at him, certain he was finally listening.

"We've been going around in circles for hours! Can we just stop and sit down, even for a minute?It's _your _fault I'm out here in the cold rain, it's _your _fault that I'm hungry, and it's _YOUR _fault that we're lost!" She advanced towards him, poking him in the chest each time she blamed him. Jack nervously drew back, sorry for having upset her.

She took a short breath before maniacally wailing, "LET ME TAKE A BREAK!"

"Okay, okay. We'll stop for a while. Should've just asked," Jack mumbled defensively, walking over to a large tree, and sitting beneath it."

Red walked over to him in a huff and plopped down beside him, growling, "You are absolutely hopeless."

The pair rested in the damp grass, listening to the soft percussion of the droplets on the greenery. Red shivered, goosebumps crawling up her flesh. She instinctively reached to wrap her thick cloak around her chilled skin, before sadly remembering that she hadn't brought it. She turned to Jack with a sigh, surprised to find the boy already staring at her, eyes filled with regret.

He shifted uncomfortably, turning his glance away from her slightly. He sighed, then said in a hushed tone,"Red, about what you said before, about it being my fault... Your completely right and I'm really sorry. This was the worst picnic ever."

"If you could even call it that," Red muttered, before curiously continuing on. "What prompted you to want to take me out today anyway?"

Jack flushed, before bashfully answering. "To be honest, the idea was rather spur of the moment . A few weeks ago I saw this little meadow, and I thought of you, and how much you like the woods during the day and food and fun and stuff, and I how much I like it when we have fun, and how much I like your smile, and it just seemed like a good idea. And today I just wanted to go, really badly. I wanted to just sit and eat and talk and do nothing and smile. And smile, smile, smile."

He inched his hand closer to hers, brushing her hand slightly with his fingertips. His dopey grin was so sweet, and she yearned to reach for his soft, warm palm. However, she quickly remembered she was upset with him, and turned away with a small frown.

"Of course you meant well, but instead, you took us out on a rainy day, forgot the picnic basket, and blindfolded the best guide you had through the woods," she pointed out stubbornly.

Jack lowered his head in shame, before somberly agreeing, "Yeah. It was a stupid idea."

Red looked at her friend, guilty that she had made him so upset. And why? Because she had been unable to release a bit of her girlish pride. Red sighed, and in what she thought was an indifferent tone, mumbled,"Well, you don't have to beat yourself up about it. I guess it was actually kind of a nice idea."

Without even looking at him, she could sense his spirits beginning to lift, an innocent smile returning to his face.

"Really?" he questioned hopefully.

Red felt a strange tug in her stomach as she realized what she had just done. If he thought she had approved of his failed attempt at a romantic outing... She hated to think of what he would do next time.

"You shouldn't get so excited. I thought it was a _nice_ idea, not a _good _one," she warned him, hopping to her feet. "Nice and good are two very different things."

But it was too late. The damage had been done. Jack scrambled up energetically next to her, all ready beginning to make enthusiastic to plans for the future.

"Maybe we can try again next week!" he cried. He began to walk with a new spring in his step, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes as he went.

"Jack," Red said in a strained voice, preparing to convince him how terrible his idea was.

She watched how joyfully he planned their new escapades, and sighed, although she was unaware whether it was do to her weariness or her happiness. She continued to follow him until she saw a big oak tree. Her eyes widened as she realized what this tree could signify.

"Wait !" Red exclaimed, stopping Jack with her hand." I think I recognize this place! It's really close to the edge of the woods!"

"Meaning?" Jack questioned, unsure of how the tree was going to help them get back home.

"Meaning, if we run, we'll be home in 10, 15 minutes at the most!" She explained, hastily patting some of the moisture off her skirt. She looked around for a second before starting off in to a whole new direction.

Jack ran behind her, mouth agape in shock. "How do you know where we are?" He asked.

"You seem to forget, I walked these paths every day for eight years, going to my granny's house," she said simply, all her confidence having been returned to her.

"Maybe I shouldn't have blindfolded you" Jack realized, apologetically shrugging when Red nodded her head in fervarnt agreement.

"That would have been a very, very wise decision," she said knowingly.

She began to skip away, before turning on her heel and quickly running up to Jack. She stared at him intently before averring, "Today was not fun. Not at all. But it could have been. And that's all that matters. So don't feel bad, okay?"

Red's grinned at him, with a brightness that made the dreary day seem worthwhile. In a sudden act of courage, he reached out and grasped her hand in his. She laughed giddily before taking off, running hand in hand with him, past the trees, through the rain, and all the way home. Jack was soaked to the bone, he felt his stomach gnawing on itself, and he had to grip the countertop to keep from fainting from exhaustion.

He had never been so happy in his life.

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**Well, it's been a while since I updated this story hasn't it? Last time I uploaded , I said this would be a goodbye chapter, but there has been a change of plans. The S.S. Jack and Red feels is sailing at ful speed, and doesn't plan to stop for a while. It may take me longer to post from now on ( I was not expecting High School to be this hard), but know I'm not going to abandon this story. Remember, I love your comments, critiques, and brilliant ideas and prompts, so keep 'em coming!**

_**Into the Woods.**_

_**Into the Woods.**_

_**Into the Woods and out of the Wooooooods...**_

_**And home before dark!**_


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